SC begins hearing Ayodhya cases

The Supreme Court has begun hearing issues stemming out of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's decision to perform a bhumi puja near the disputed site at Ayodhya on March 15.

The government has said that it will not allow the puja till the apex court gives its verdict.

The petitions filed by Aslam Bhure and the United Lawyers' Front are listed before a bench comprising justices B N Kirpal, G B Pattanaik and V N Khare.

While the All India Muslim Personal Law Board is likely to mention its application seeking to restrain the VHP from performing the puja, another writ petition has been filed by one Ravinder Gupta seeking permission to go to Ayodhya to worship.

Bhure and AIPMB are seeking directions that no puja should be allowed, as it would violate the 1994 apex court ruling upholding the government's acquisition of the land near the disputed site and the directive to maintain status quo there.

However, the ULF says that a committee -- comprising eminent personalities from both the communities -- should be formed to start construction of a temple at the disputed site and a mosque somewhere else.

The petition filed by Bhure seeks deployment of the army and seizure of the carved stones lying at Karsevakpuram at Ayodhya and Pindwara in Rajsthan. The stones are meant to be used for the construction of the temple.

VHP international working president Ashok Singhal said on Tuesday that if the court did not permit carrying out the puja, the chairman of the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas, Ramchandra Paramhans, would take the fabricated pillars to the makeshift shrine for offering.

Bhure requested the court that "the areas of Karsevakpuram at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and Pindwara in Rajasthan where the stones are lying should be sealed by the district administration".

He apprehended that if an interim order for the detention of karsevaks proceeding to Ayodhya from different parts of the country, deployment of army and seizure of stones was not given by the Supreme Court, "it may cause riots which may lead to killing of innocent persons as happened in 1992".

Gupta, in his writ petition filed on Monday, alleged that he was a regular pilgrim to Ayodhya but was turned away from Faizabad on March 7. He termed the action as violative of his fundamental right to move freely throughout the country.